Fatal police shooting: Man dead after vehicle stop in New Plymouth

Police cordoned off the road after a person was shot by police in New Plymouth last night. Photo / Tara Shaskey

A local resident has described hearing a succession of loud gunshots near the Taranaki scene where a man died in a police shooting last night.

The man died on Devon Rd, near Bell Block, after he was shot during a traffic stop at 9.30pm on Saturday night.

A person living nearby told the Herald she was lying in bed when she heard a loud volley of gunfire.

"I heard a 'bang, bang, bang' and I thought, what on earth was that," the resident said.

"It sounded a lot louder than what you'd normally hear... it sounded like a gun."

An investigation into the shooting was ongoing today, with State Highway 3 closed between Mountain Rd and De Havilland Drive.

Two security guards have blocked the main highway off with cones and are diverting traffic.

A Herald reporter at the scene said it is usually a busy thoroughfare in and out of New Plymouth, so was likely to cause disruption today.

Earlier, police said they have identified the man and notified his next of kin.

Two security guards have blocked the main highway off with cones and are diverting traffic following the fatal shooting. Photo / Jamie Morton

The incident occurred while police were conducting a vehicle stop on Devon Rd.

The man shot by police was critically injured.

"Medical assistance was immediately provided however, tragically, the man died at the scene," police said in a statement.

They said the Independent Police Complaints Authority had been notified of the incident and a Critical Incident Investigation was under way.

Part of a rural road in New Plymouth remains blocked off after last night's fatal police shooting. Photo / Jamie Morton

Support would be provided to the officers involved and the dead man's family.

Police have remained at the scene overnight and road closures will remain in place until a scene examination has been completed.